Debt
by Muldoon22
Summary: Steve saves Natasha's life. She is now indebted to him.
1. Chapter 1

**Yugoslavia**

Gunfire was erupting around the SHIELD team consisting of Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Maria Hill and ten other agents. It was escalating quickly and starting to claim lives. Natasha found herself pinned down as she fired back. The hostiles pulled out a turret and she went wide eyed. As they began to fire at her, Steve pulled her close to him and raised his shield, blocking the incoming fire. She looked at him in awe. The firefight ended and Steve lowered his shield. He gave her a quick smile and ran off, leaving her stunned.

As they flew back to the Helicarrier, she went over and sat down next to him.

"You saved my life." she said as Steve removed his mask.

"You were in trouble. Can't have you dying on me now, can I?" he said with a smile. She returned it but soon went solemn again.

"I owe you a debt now."

"Ma'am, you don't have to."

"I do. No one put their life on the line for me before. I owe you my life, and that's that. Consider me your wingman. Or your second in command if you want."

"I'll consider you my friend and partner."

She smiled again and looked around. When no one was looking, she pressed a kiss to his cheek. He went red and she smiled before returning to her seat.


	2. Chapter 2

Natasha followed through with her pledge and assumed the title of second in command to Steve with SHIELD and The Avengers. He went left, she went left. He ran in, she ran in. She wouldn't allow him out of her sight.

"You know, most people would be annoyed by you constantly hoovering over them." he joked.

"You calling me annoying?" she asked, seemingly angry.

"N-no." he stammered. She smiled.

"I'm messing with you, Steve." he breathed a sighed relief.

"I was afraid I offended you."

"It didn't. But you have a point. I told you that I owed you my life, so I'm attached to your hip."

He smiled. "It's nice to know someone has your back. I read the news these days and it sounds like a lot of the time they're out for themselves."

"Not me or you." she replied. She stood up. "Well, Captain, i'll see you around." and she walked away.

* * *

Steve was walking through the halls when Nick Fury and a group of SHIELD agents ran towards him.

"Captain, we need you! Red Skull is back."

Steve glared. "Let's roll.

He took off with the group.

* * *

Natasha had a friend in the mission directory she was going to visit. She walked pass the operator room and overheard a conversation.

"Copy, Director Fury, Captain America has pursued the Red Skull on his own."

She stopped in her tracks and walked back to the room and entered the room, a vicious snarl on her face.

"Repeat word for word what you just said." the operator looked stunned.

"Copy, Director Fury, Captain America has pursued the Red Skull on his own." he repeated.

She stormed out of the room and was on her communicator.

"Hill, I need transport to wherever Captain Rogers went."

* * *

Steve chased Red Skull into an abandoned warehouse, but he had somehow disappeared.

"Schmidt! Come out and fight!" he yelled.

"So after all these years, the valiant Captain America still believes himself to be brave."

"I don't have to be brave to beat someone like you."

"But do you have the willpower? Or the strength?!" he yelled as he shot Steve with a powerful beam of energy. Steve went slamming into a wall behind him and got up on his feet. He flung his shield at him and knocked the weapon out of Schmidt's hands. He ran to him and delivered a punch to his face. This angered him and he did the same, knocking Steve to the ground. Schmidt kicked him in the chest hard and sent him laying on his back.

"You may have defeated me 70 years ago, Captain, but I guarantee you, you will lose. And you will die."

"Well, you'll have to go through me." a voice said from behind them. Steve looked to see Natasha standing there. Schmidt smirked.

"And what do you plan on-" he said before Natasha shot him through the head. He crumpled to the ground. She walked over to Steve as he picked himself up.

"I was hop-" he said before she delivered to him a punch in the face.

"What the hell were you thinking? What did I tell you? I owed you a debt, therefore, you wouldn't be doing this alone."

"It was all sudden. This wasn't a plotted out mission. Fury ran to me-"

"Doesn't matter, you still should have told me! You could have died and it would have been on me."

"No it would not have. It-"

She shook her head. "No, it would have. I owe you a debt. I cannot pay it back if you-"

"Didn't you technically just do so?"

She stopped for a second. "Are you dumb or just stupid? I owe you my _life_. Therefore this debt is everlasting."

"Nat, I saved your life. You saved mine, I think that-"

"A Russian's word is their honour. I owe you. Forever. So no more macho bullshit. I am your companion and there's no arguing about it." and she headed out for the transport. Steve remained still for a moment before following.


	3. Chapter 3

"You're making me feel as if I own you." Steve said as they flew back to the Helicarrier.

"You kinda do. As I said, life debt."

" I don't think I'm comfortable with that."

"Well, I'm in control of my decisions. What I wear, where I go. But the moment you say you need me, I'm there by your side. No questions asked."

Steve sighed. "Ok. That's fine with me."

* * *

Steve decided it was best for him to follow by his word, so whenever he went into combat, she was there.

Though for two months Steve stuck around the Triskelion, allowing Natasha to do her own thing. But soon he was called in for a recon mission in Croatia. Aboard the quinjet, they began taking heavy fire. He called her.

She was in New Orleans, doing a tracking mission. She wasn't very captivated by it. Not one bit. Her phone rang. It was Steve.

"Captain, not a great time." she said, hoping the person she was following didn't hear her phone.

"Alright then!" he said, loudly because of the gunfire. She heard it on the other line.

"What is your location?"

"Well-"

"Steve, location. Now."

"We're flying above Croatia, don't know the precise- oh shit, we're going down!" the line went dead.

"Steve? Steve!" she said, before standing up and headed for the airport.


	4. Chapter 4

She was in the area within two hours. Flying above the country, she spotted a SHIELD quinjet crashed into a forest.

"Damnit." she muttered as she landed the smaller jet onto the ground. She exited and ran to the crash site. The pilot and an agent were still in it, dead. She stopped in her tracks when she spotted Steve's shield. She picked it up and examined the rough state it was in.

Static came through the crackling radio. She turned her attention to it. Muffled voices. _"...eavy attac... anyo.e copy?" _

That sounded like Steve. She turned her attention to the distant sound of battle and hustled towards it. Upon arrival, she saw what looked like a world war recreation. SHIELD agents all over the place versus the Croatian army they were going up against. She spotted Steve, shieldless and in the thick of the fight. She ran to him and blocked the incoming barrage with his shield.

"Nat! How did you get into the country?"

"I have my ways." she said, handing him the shield. He used it to cover both of them and combat against the bullets.

* * *

"I'm starting to think I can't leave you alone." she said as the cleanup of the battle commenced. SHIELD emerged victorious and were able to kill the evil-induced coup that was brewing.

"This wasn't at all expected." he countered, knowing that this would lead to her making another vow.

"Expect the unexpected is what I like to say." she replied. "I'm gonna have Fury pair us up officially, so that wherever you go, I go."

"Natasha, seriously. You really don't-"

"Don't start, Steve Rogers. Don't start." Out of nowhere she wrapped her arms around him, in a hug. Steve was baffled.

"I'm got a bit frightened when I saw your downed jet. I thought..."

"Thought what?" Steve asked.

She didn't reply. She let go of him.

"Nothing. See you back on the jet." She walked away, leaving Steve to wonder what she meant.


	5. Chapter 5

Natasha kept good on her vow, going as far as to interact with Steve outside of work. She found him in a bar in Manhattan, ironically called The Russian Lounge, nursing a beer in a booth at the back.

"Wouldn't "The American Flag" be more up your alley?" she joked, slotting into the booth. He lightly chuckled halfheartedly. "I like the atmosphere. It's quiet."

A waitress came round and took another drink order from Steve. Natasha ordered a Heineken and the waitress walked off.

"You seem down." she said.

"Just thinking really."

"I'm curious." she prodded. She laid her arms onto the table.

"The other day, in Croatia, you seemed...concerned. About me."

"Why wouldn't I be? My partner needed me."

"But normally you don't..you don't..."

"Hug?" she finished, knowing what he was aiming at. He nodded.

"Well, I guess I got caught up in the moment. I mean, flying in, things didnt look good. Plus, you were being so adamant about doing things on your own. That's something I can't allow."

He looked at her as the waitress brought them their order. Natasha gulped a drink of her Heineken, Steve still gazing at her.

"Can I ask why you're so forceful with this debt? Why is it such a problem for me to go into a war zone?"

She finished her drink and cleared her throat. "Maybe I hate the thought of you dying."

Steve was in shock as Natasha swiftly departed.


	6. Chapter 6

Her final words to him the night before danced around in his head. She didn't like to think of him dead. Maybe it's because of her devotion to him. Or maybe...no. It's unlikely she has feelings for him. Though it would explain the hug she gave him during their last mission. He wouldn't pry too deep into this. Yet.

* * *

They were in Ecuador facing off against a militia intending on exterminating the population of a small town. She was by his side for a good while before running off to evacuate a house. No longer than five minutes later, he heard a garbled message.

"Cap, they got me!" he heard her say. She didn't sound in pain, so the "got me" part must mean they captured her. He ran in the direction she ran in and spotted a group of militia leading a tied up Natasha to a makeshift noose. They were gonna hang her!

He threw his shield at the group and knocked the one holding Natasha to the ground. She ran to Steve as he finished the group off. He untied her hands and once they were free she flung her arms around him. Looking straight at her, he captured his lips with hers.


	7. Chapter 7

They broke off, but she remained in his hold.

"This really complicates things. Considering you saved my life. Again." she said with a smirk.

"Well, I think that kiss was payback enough." he replied. His arms slid off from her back, with his left hand enveloping her own. They began to walk back to the quinjet.

"This doesn't anything though. I'm still your partner." she said.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." his hand left hers and wrapped around her shoulder. She nuzzled into the hold.

_fin_

Songs listened to during writing:

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories (full album)


End file.
